GWM South Africa has broadened its local line-up with the introduction of a 3,0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, offered in both the Tank 500 SUV and the P500 bakkie. The new powertrain develops 170 kW and 620 Nm, and is matched to a nine-speed automatic transmission developed in-house, with four-wheel drive available on selected derivatives.
The engine’s characteristics centre on low-speed delivery. It produces 385 Nm from 1 000 r/min, which gives it useful pulling power from just above idle. This is intended to benefit everyday driving as much as loaded or off-road use, whether the vehicle is moving off from a junction, climbing a gradient or carrying a heavy load.
A 2 000-bar common-rail fuel-injection system manages fuel delivery to balance performance with the efficiency expected of a modern diesel. GWM says the unit has undergone extensive durability testing, including million-kilometre test-bench running and full-vehicle validation, before reaching customers.
Other examples of the Tank 500 are in stock - click here
In the Tank 500, the diesel engine joins the existing range as a more touring-focused alternative to the hybrid derivative. It carries a towing capacity of up to 3,5 tonnes, which suits buyers towing caravans, trailers or work equipment.
On the road the Tank was whisper-quiet with just a muted growl from the engine when pressed hard for overtaking. The intial low end torque is a pleasure and even though the vehicle is not intended to race along at higher echelon speeds, a bit more power at the upper end of the rev range could be welcomed.
It never feels like a big car, even in restricted parking – aided, of course, by the clear images on the centre screen – and sits contentedly on the road, taking swopps and sweeps confidently into its stride.
The Tank 500 remains a seven-seat, body-on-frame SUV with a leather-trimmed cabin and a high level of standard equipment. The driver’s seat offers eight-way electric adjustment with heating, ventilation and massage, while the front passenger seat has four-way electric adjustment and the same heating, ventilation and massage functions. The model also adopts GWM’s Coffee OS 3.0 infotainment system, which includes integrated voice control for navigation, entertainment and selected vehicle functions.
All of this combines neatly to provide a long-haul comfortable ride for driver and passengers.
Your dream car – make it happen with the best finance deal
Safety equipment across the Tank 500 range includes dual front crash bags, front side bags, side curtain bags and a front centre bag. Active systems include anti-lock braking, electronic brake distribution, traction control, roll movement intervention, electronic stability control, integrated brake control and brake assist.
Hill-start assist, hill descent control, an electronic parking brake and a tyre pressure monitoring system are also fitted. Driver assistance features include adaptive cruise control, intelligent cruise assist, traffic jam assist, intelligent cornering assist, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, lane centring assist, emergency lane keeping and smart dodge.
Forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, traffic sign recognition, overspeed warning and intelligent speed assist are included, along with front and rear parking sensors and front cross-traffic alert and braking. Lane change assist, door open warning and rear collision warning add further awareness of approaching vehicles.
Take a look at the P500 variants we have on offer - click here
The P500 becomes the first model in its range to receive the new 3,0-litre diesel. GWM has paid attention to refinement, using six measures to reduce vibration and noise. The result is an idle noise level of no more than 68 dB, with noise, vibration and harshness performance that GWM compares with a premium petrol engine.
Its road manners mirror much of those displayed by the Tank, although the somewhat stiff rear end did hop slightly on our drive but as the vehicle had done just a tad more than 1 000 km, perhaps this would be tempered as the suspension loosened up.
The P500 cabin features a 14,6-inch touchscreen running Coffee OS 3.0, a 12,3-inch digital instrument cluster and a head-up display, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Leather seats offer massage, heating, ventilation, power adjustment and memory functions, while additional sound insulation and a dual rear-seal design are intended to reduce road and wind noise.
The P500 also carries a Level 2 advanced driver assistance system package, including intelligent cruise control, adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking.
Good insurance is vital – click here to find out more
A 360-degree high-definition surround view system with a transparent chassis function is included, along with seven crash bags and a body structure in which more than 85% of the material is high-strength steel. In the event of a collision, the vehicle can automatically unlock the doors and cut off the fuel supply.
The Tank 500 3.0 Diesel range comprises three derivatives. The 4x2 Super Luxury is priced at R849 900, the 4x4 Ultra Luxury at R929 900 and the 4x4 Overland at R999 900. A 78-litre fuel tank is standard, with an auxiliary 53-litre tank available on the Overland derivative.
The P500 3.0 Diesel is offered in two grades: the 4x2 Super Luxury at R724 900 and the 4x4 Ultra Luxury at R799 900. Both models are backed by a 7-year or 200 000 km warranty, seven years of unlimited-kilometre roadside assistance and a 7-year or 75 000 km service plan, with service intervals of 15 000 km or 12 months.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
Proudly CHANGECARS
